'Once' director John Carney’s 'Can A Song Save Your Life?' starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo - is set to receive its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this September.
‘Can a Song Save Your Life?’ follows Keira Knightley’s character as she moves to New York to pursue a music career, who falls on hard times until a music producer (Ruffalo) helps to turn her fortunes around.
The film is executive produced by Judd Apatow and boasts an impressive supporting cast includes music star CeeLo Green; Mos Def; Adam Levine (Maroon 5); Catherine Keener; James Corden; and the young Oscar-nominated star of ‘True Grit’ Hailee Steinfeld.
‘Once’ proved an enormous international hit for Carney, winning an Oscar for its signature song ‘Falling Slowly’ for Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová in 2008.
John Carney also directed Irish films ‘The Rafters’ and ‘Zonad’, and several episodes of RTE’s ‘Bachelor’s Walk’.
Also of Irish interest in this year’s Toronto line-up are three films shot in Ireland - ‘All Is By My Side’, directed by John Ridley; ‘Philomena’, directed by Stephen Frears; and ‘Starred Up’, directed by David MacKenzie.
Jimi Hendrix biopic ‘All Is by My Side’ stars Outkast’s Andre Benjamin as Hendrix and focuses on his early years before he becomes one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
The film was shot in Dublin and Wicklow last year, and was produced by Tristan Orphan Lynch for Dublin-based Subotica, along with Darko Entertainment and Matador Pictures.
‘Philomena’, directed by Stephen Frears and shot in Northern Ireland, is about a woman (Judie Dench) who searches for her adult son who was taken away from her decades ago when she was forced to live in a convent.
The film also features IFTA-winning actresses Ruth McCabe and Charlie Murphy, along with Steve Coogan.
David Mackenzie’s ‘Starred Up’, which was filmed in Belfast, is about a violent teen played by Jack O’Connell (‘Skins’) who is transferred to an adult prison where he meets his father.
The film co-stars Ben Mendelsohn (‘The Dark Knight Rises’) and Rupert Friend (‘Homeland’)
‘Starred Up’ received funding from the Northern Ireland Screen supported by Invest NI and was part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
